Flesh clamping device



JIlly 25, 1950 E. L.. zoLLER 2,516,359

FLEsH CLAMPING DEVICE Filed Feb. 27', 1948 Fig- A /NVa/vroR. EVA Lou/se ZOLLER BY HER ATTORNEYS.

figg/Aem@ K/ H, F057' R HAR/els iw QJ@ Patented July 25, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT rUFFICI?.

FLESH CLAMIINtr DEVICE Eva V lliouise Zeller, ",Pacic Palisades, Calif.

Applcationjlebnuary 27, 19.48, Serial .N o. 11,660

'3.lC1aims. .1

vMy invention relates generally lto fastening de vices and :more particularly to a iclampingdevice which `adapted for use in :reizai-nizgigl vent opening of -a stuffed fowl @closed during )cooking of the -fowl.

Various means .-.have been emplQYed ifm* main.- taining the vent opening of .a stuit-ed fowhclosed during roasting of the fowl, @the .most 'common expedient being to sew the adjacentmortions .or flaps at :the lsides of the @peiling together. :It is awell .known Vthat this 'method fof -closinggfthe opening v:consumes -considerahle .time (and the twine used for :the sewingiis-fapt to pull-.Out-.of the esh. To .overcome this diieul-ty :various ias.- tem'ng means-have-heenrpltoposed for holding-the edges or :dans of the ventlopening Atogether iuring the-.cooking of the f fowl :to retain l:thestuiiixfxg therein. While such prior Jdevices fhave-ibeennsed with .some `degree .of success, ,it :has been found that 'they have certain-nndesirablefeatiires `For example, -it has :been determined rthat. when the fastening Adevices faire Vcomposed :of -pivoted or articulated Vparte which `ane permanently iconnected, fats, .-setuiing, .flesh or otherv maternal A.is apt vte @gather and .congeal in minute .spaces :loetween the .relatively movable-parts of triade/Vices., thus making it 1:emaren-iely .diiiicult .to. .:thoroughly clean v.the de-vioe. liter 4this areason, l.istinti 4.devices ane subject to contamination and v.thus @are considered funsanitary. Moreover, it :has loeenzascertained' tha-.t ,fsuelindevices are 'z-notieositivein'aetaining r.tlne vent A"opening `@lost-e121l for the reaisen that the means-forhnlding .themants of tneidevices -in :closed relationship are ineffectual :and are --:readily 'neleased It is :an :important obgj'ect .of my invention 'to overcome :thefdecieneiesrof f-such prior devicesoy providing an :improved device vlor ".clamping the sides .or `flaps of -the @vent-@opening nfabntting nelationshinso :as to close :thefenening :and metain tries-tuning within ktide atomi -being acasted, the device comprising .a .pai-r :ef damping Jaws piveted togetl-ier and @eeen .-havi-ng .Y1-.points .nr prongs fadapted to Lpieicettlie .,-esh :of -.-the fowl and to drawtheflapstogetherftotclosetheiopening, .the device `also including'fa resilient latch hook yononeof the .j aw.members.:engageahle with asideiof tlie other .jaw :member .toireleasablyilock the memhersin `clampingposition *n v,Anothenand extremelyiim-portant object of the inventionis te provide -s-a :.clampng'zdevicauuf ithe cla-ss refer-red to, :which iincludes .means Vfor de taclnably .connecting .the ,.jaw ...rnembersficrfrelativeipivotalvv movementsothat"'cllowngvthetccoking of .the fowl, the..inemitiersi can zbegdisconnected and .cleaned ,.indivdually. ...By .this eurovision, surfaces ofithe ,j aw.. members whichtadjoin, orfinterengage, when lthe members sane iinlassembled relationship,fareliullyexposed winernthe Irneinbets .2 cleansed by a usual washing .operation to .avoid the-possibi1ity vv,of contamination.

It `is another object ofthe invention to provide a .clamp-ing 4device of :the .type indicated in `which the pivot .means may comprise a pin or projec tion on one jaw member receivable inan apen-.- ture in .the .other Jaw member .to .connect the membersior :relative `pivotal movement, lsaid pro.- jection beine readily .releasable .from the apenture :so as to .permit .disassembly oi .thx-aparts to `iateilitate cleaning thereof.

Another y'object is rto provide .a lclamls-,ing dei/.ice embodying ...means for releasably locking .the Ejaw members in Aclosed posit-ion .so as `to .guard ,against loss of the stilfngirom thefowldnring tiieooln ing procedure.

Another .object iis to yprovide a .clamping device which includes .hook lnieans v.on the .jaw members for :engaging V.time legs of the fowl and retaining .them adjacent-each other seas to ,eff-ect compact.- ness .and prevent .spreading 1.0i .the legs .which might result in imprQDer seating .ci the .cover of vthe .pan which fthe .fowl iscooiied Another object vof .the invention .-.S to provide a .clamping `.device which .isextremely .simple construction, being composed of a minimum number -of parts., each-oi which is adapted i501' economical manufacture Joy mass production method s0 Vthat -the .device l.can -be Ysold .at :a .low price.

.A further l.object is .to ,provide ,a device, .of .ine Acharacterfreil-arnesi to, which', in :addition .to serai.- ingas .a means iol' closing I`.the lvent .oneningof a stuffed fowl, Vcan lee `remployed for retaining roasts .oi `.meatiinrollec'l condition and as a-nieans for siaspend-ingarticles of .food withinad utensil during a fsteaming or like -icooking f operation.

.Eurther objects .of the invention .-wi-l-l v.be ap,- parent from v.the :follow-ing .detailed descrition and from .the drawing .which-is -,,intended ferr-,the purpose ,of illustnation ionligand in which: i

Eig. .l is .ta A.front `view .oi-my improved .clamping device, .showingnthefiaw member-s n.closed-rlationshp;

Fig. ..2y a side viewsof tile device.:

Amg. .3 is. a Y.viewsimilar -to Eig. Al y.but-shovfing the Jaw members-...pivoted outwardly; l

Fig. .l is a,cr0ss=sectionel1view,.,takenndine ill- A, of Fig. 1;

...Eig...,5 isa u,cross-sectional .zview -ftaken en line .5-15.;of Fig. .1;

. .6 g is a Tcross-sectiornil wiew., .taken ion-line .l-Bef Fig. :l

-Ei g. 7 ,is 1.a `view showiriglthefdevice .-.anpliedim use in closing ,the vent opening ef-istuiedeieivl and .for retaining kthe legs L:of ythe i few-1 in -cenf Ltnacteiipositiorig; y

is..a imntlyiew efvthe gpivota1-fendf.;c;f ;fa claims.ingeL :deviceiof` medified@` construction `and 'Vane disconnected-so.thattheyfmaytbeycominlebly .^\.1Eig..fi9 isaaacorripesiteperspectiveviewlgof vttie ably stamped from sheet meta-l in suitable diesv` aoiesol One jaw member I0 is made in the form of a strip or bar I0 having a curved hook portion I2'at one f end and a right-angular projection or eary I3 at "or prongs I6. Also projecting from this edge of `the bar IB', adjacent the hook portion I2, is ya '.bent latch-hook I l.

f The second jaw member I I is similar to the rst jaw member I8, being made in the form of a bar I9 having a plurality of inclined prongs 2i! projecting from an edge thereof, the bar I9 being formed with a hook portion 2 Il at one end. At the end opposite the hook portion 2l, the bar IS carries a pivot pin or stud 22. As shown in Fig. 6, the pin 22 has a reduced portion 23 inserted in a hole in the bar I9 and a slightly larger shank portion 2 4 which abuts one side of the bar, the 'end of the 'reduced portion `23 being headed over against the bar to retain the pin in place. The shank portion 24 is of a diameter which is slightly less than the width of the elongated aperture Ill to4 adapt it to slide therein when the jaw members I0 and I I are assembled in the manner to be later explained. The pin 22 also has an enlarged head 25' which has a diameter slightly less than that of the re-entrant opening I5 to adapt it to pass therethrough.

It is to be particularly noted that my improved 'clamping device, described in detail above, comprises two independent main elements or jaw members Ill and II. To apply the clamping device to use in closing the vent opening :of a fowl, such as that illustrated at 26 in Fig. 7, the two jaw members I0 and II are assembled as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. To assemble the jaw members I0 and II, the head 25 of the pivot pin 22 is passed through the re-entrant opening I5 and the jaw members then relatively moved to cause the shank portion 23 to slide in the aperture I4 to the end of the aperture as sh-own in Figs. 1

and 3. It is thus seen that the pin 22 is pivotally l arranged in the aperture I4 so that the jaw members I8 and II can pivot from an open position as shown in Fig. 3 to la closed position as illustrated in Fig. 1.

With the jaw members in the open position, the clamping device is placed against the body of the fowl 26 with the jaw members straddling the vent opening through which the stuffing or dressing was previously inserted into the fowl. To close the vent opening, it is only necessary to press rides along the side of the jaw member II and eventually snaps around an edge of its bar I9, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4. By this means, the jaw members IQ andII are release-bly locked in closed position to guard against accidental opening of the clamping device -and vent opening which -e might permit loss of the stuffing from the fowl.

After the vent opening has been closed by the clamping'device, the legs of the fowl are brought in under the ,hook portions I2 and 2I of the respective 'jawmembers I0 and I I so that they will not interfere 'with the placing of a cover on the cooking utensil in which the fowl is to be cooked. Following the cooking of the fowl, the legs of the fowl yare released ffrom the hook portions I2" and' 2I yandthe clamping device is then openedby merely pressingthe jaw members Ill and I I closer together and flexing them in opposite directions to disalign the detent hook II from the bar I9, after which the jaw members can be relativelypivoted to open position, as illustrated in Fig: 3, to remove the several prongs Ian'd 20 from" the flesh of the fowl and release the clamping device. After the device has been removed from'the fowl, the jaw members I0 and I I -are separated by sliding the pin 22 into alignment with 'the re-entrant opening I5, to permit withdrawal of the pin therethrough. The separatedfjaw members I0 and I I then may be washed individually in any conventional manner and it is to be'particularl'y noted that by this provision each'jawrnem'ber can be thoroughly cleansed 0f all oil, nesh, stuffing or the'like. In otherwords, since there existno permanently interconnected parts, there -are no clearance openings, bearings or crevices'in which fats, stuing or other materialc'anlodge and thus-the cleaning of the clamping device can vbe carried out expeditiously and thoroughly with a minimum of effort.

Referringvnow to Figs. 8 and 9, my invention contemplatesl the provision of an alternative means'for-pivotally and separably connecting the 'jaw-'members In this modified version of the device, thejaw-members 3D and 3I are similar tothe members I0 and II, previously described, and lhave respective vrhash-engaging prongs 32 and 33. The -jawimember 30 has a lateral projection or ear 3d at one end which is provided with arelatively narrow rectangular opening 35 which extends normal to the longitudinal axis of thejawmember. The other jaw member 3| has an offsetvT-shaped lateral projection 36 at one endwhichprovides a pivot lug 31 having a rectangular vhead 38 atwits` end. To assemble the jaw members 30 and 3l, the members are fplacedirif'the relative positions shown in Fig. 9 -so as tofdis'pose the projection 36 below the ear '34 with` its rectangular head 38 in alignment with -therectangularopening y35, after which the head is inserted 'upwardly through the opening to dispose the pivot lug'3l'l in the opening. The two jaw merriber's'3Il""andv 3'I are then relatively pivoted towardclo'sed position, at which time the ends of the head 38 overlie the side of the ear '34- to retain the jaw members in connected relationship:"The'modiiied device is operated in the sa-memann'er as the device shown in Figs. lto 7 ,the pivot lug 3l serving the same function "as the pivot Apin 22. Following a roasting or other cookingloperationQthejaw members 30 and 3I 'are opened to La position 'wherein they extend at rightangles'toeach other so as to align the head '38 with the opening 35 and permit withdrawal of the -pivotprojection 36. `Als in the first described embodiment" of lthe invention, cleaning of the separate jaw members 30 and 3| is greatly facilitated and contamination thereof is entirely avoided. After the two parts have been cleaned, they may be re-connected and held in closed position by the resilient detent hook so that separation of the parts during storage of the device is prevented.

The operation of my improved clamping device has been herein explained in connection with the cooking of a fowl but it will be obvious that the device can be advantageously employed as a means for holding meat in a rolled condition. I have also found that the device can be applied to use as a means for supporting a cloth bag or the like in a vessel when it is desired to steam the contents of the bag. In this case, the material at the mouth of the bag is impaled on the prongs of the jaw members, which are maintained in open relationship, the device then being placed across the open rim of the vessel to suspend the bag therein.

While I have herein shown the clamping device as embodied in two preferred forms of construction, and applied to use in a preferred manner, by way of example, it will be obvious that various modifications might be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention. Consequently, I do not wish to be limited in this respect, but desire to be afforded the full scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention;

l. A flesh clamping device adapted for use in retaining the vent opening of a stuffed fowl closed during cooking of the fowl, comprising: a pair of jaw members each having prongs adapted to pierce the flesh of the fowl, one of said jaw members having an aperture and the other of said jaw members having pivot means releasably disposed in said aperture so as to detachably connect said members for relative pivotal movement to a closed position to draw the flaps of esh at the edges of the vent opening together, and to an open position to release said flaps; and releasable locking means for retaining said jaw members in closed position, said jaw members having curved holding means at their distal ends adapted to partly encircle the legs of the fowl so as to retain the legs of the fowl in proximity.

2. A ilesh clamping device adapted for use in retaining the vent opening of a stuffed fowl closed during cooking of the fowl, comprising: a pair of jaw members each having prongs adapted to pierce the flesh of the fowl, one of said jaw members having an aperture and the other of said jaw members having pivot means releasably disposed in said aperture so as to detachably connect said members for relative pivotal movement to a closed position to draw the flaps of flesh at the edges of the vent opening together, and to an open position to release said aps; and releasable locking means for retaining said jaw members in closed position, said `iaw members having integral hooks at their distal ends, said hooks curving laterally in opposite directions with their free ends directed generally toward said pivot means, and said hooks being adapted to partly encircle the legs of the fowl so as to retain the same in proximity.

3. A flesh clamping device adapted for use in retaining the vent opening of a stuffed fowl closed during cooking of the fowl, comprising: a pair of jaw members each having prongs adapted to pierce the flesh of the fowl, one of said jaw members having an aperture and the other of said jaw members having pivot means releasably disposed in said aperture so as to detachably connect said members for relative pivotal movement to a closed position to draw the flaps of flesh at the edges of the vent opening together, and to an open position to release said ilaps, said prongs of said jaw members being spaced alternately along and projecting from the adjacent edges of said jaw members in planes substantially normal to the plane of said jaw members, said prongs having inclined, pointed ends, and said prongs crossing -when said jaw members are in cl-osed position; and releasable locking means for retaining said jaw members in closed position.

EVA LOUISE ZOLLER..

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the i'lle of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

